


BPRD 1970: Sinister Shadows

by Gargoyle_Lauren



Category: Hellboy (Comics), Hellboy - All Media Types
Genre: Angel Wings, Eventual Smut, F/M, Fantasy, Forbidden Love, Friends to Lovers, Injury, Missing Persons, Monsters, Pre-Relationship, Religion, Sarcasm, Secret Relationship, Size Difference, Slow Burn, bprd
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-10-16
Updated: 2018-10-16
Packaged: 2019-08-03 03:21:27
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,252
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16318169
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gargoyle_Lauren/pseuds/Gargoyle_Lauren
Summary: At age 18, two large swan wings sprouted out of my shoulder blades. They ran every test they could on my wings all they know is that they're harder than steel but lighter than what they should weigh, they've come in handy over the years.  Since then Hellboy has become my closest friend, he's even gotten me to consider joining the bureau. Who know a man who looks so much like a devil could be so kind and thoughtful to me to those around him.





	BPRD 1970: Sinister Shadows

It's a cool night. I’m in northern Ireland so it's not really a surprise. For the last few months something strange has been happening here. There have been a few people who have wandered onto the moors and gone missing. I'm not one to turn down a mystery so I thought, why not? 

 

**Ardboe, Ireland 1970, The Courier Case**

 

“What do ye think, Lorna?” Sean MacArthur, a local priest and long time friend, asks me as he lights a cigarette throwing the used match to the ground. He was the one who asked me here in the first place, members of his church are among those who have gone missing.

 

I shift my weight, having a pair of bird wings that span 10 feet on your back can be a bit uncomfortable at times. 

 

“Not sure yet, but something definitely doesn't feel right Sean.” There's something sinister on the wind and I don't like it.

 

“We should head back lass, the BPRD are sendin’ an agent as well 'n I'd feel better if ye both go together tomorrow.” he motions back to the car and I follow. It's not the first time I've run with the BPRD, I prefer working solo but those agents do good work. 

 

“Yeah, who they sending this time?” I ask it with a smile but Sean can sense my concern.

 

“Do nae worry dear, Hellboy will be the one at yer back.”

 

Hellboy is a particularly good friend of mine he stayed at the same military base my father was stationed at in New Mexico when I was a child. I believe, he was 4 and I was 3 the first time we met, he aged much faster than I did though. By the time I was 9 he was full grown and fighting monsters. We didn't truly get to know each other until I had to go to Professor Bruttenholm.

 

At age 18, two large swan wings sprouted out of my shoulder blades. They ran every test they could on my wings all they know is that they're harder than steel but lighter than what they should weigh, they've come in handy over the years.  Since then Hellboy has become my closest friend, he's even gotten me to consider joining the bureau. Who know a man who looks so much like a devil could be so kind and thoughtful to me to those around him.

 

“Red's on his way, huh?” I smile as I situate my wings in the passenger seat, “It'll be nice to do some catching up, I haven't seen him since we dealt with a possession together in Maryland a few months ago.” I exercised the demon, and then he helped me subdue it until the priest could send it back to hell. It was a fun time, Hellboy bought me a drink afterward.

 

The drive back to the village inn was a short one. Sean offers to buy me dinner at the small diner across the street and I've never been one to turn down a free meal. Besides it'll give me a chance to see what all Sean knows about the missing people. I am a detective after all.

 

“So can you tell me about who went missing and when this all started?” I say this as I stuff my face with eggs and bacon. Sean rubs his eyes letting his fingers pinch the bridge of his nose.

 

“Johnny Courier was the first ta go missing three months ago, he had come ta me the night before about seein shapes on the moors. He was drunk, though, so a’course so I paid it no mind and sent ‘im home. Then he missed the Sunday service for tha first time in ten years...” He's tired and I can tell this isn't the first time he's relayed this story. “Then there 'as Molly Flanagan, Johnny's girlfriend, she went lookin for 'im after I told her what happened and she saw the shapes too... Then others went lookin for her, 15 in all…” his head falls into his hands and he sighs “I should nae have told her then maybe Johnny would had been the only one.”

  
  
  


“You can't blame yourself for not foreseeing this,” I reach over and grab his hand. “I'll find them Sean.” I smile at him.

 

“Enough about misfortune, how have ye been lass and yer sister where is she?” He fakes a smile to match mine. 

 

“Oh, LeeAnne, she's staying at my apartment in Chicago, I think she's ready for a break from this paranormal stuff for the time being.” Now is a great time to note that Lee isn't actually my sister, she's me from an alternate dimension. We're not quite the same though, she's older than me and instead of having wings she ended up being a werewolf, or lycanthrope, as she prefers. The BPRD once did a blood test on us to see exactly how similar we were. We ended up being classified as sisters. The professor thinks we were brought together for a reason. She is definitely the strangest part of my life.

 

“She does seem to be a bit put off by these things.” He chuckles as we finish our food.

 

“I think she's getting used to it, she's just far from home and it makes her uneasy.” Sean holds the door open for me as I make my way across the street to the inn. He waves to me as he drives off and I notice a large truck with a symbol of a hand with a sword is parked out front.

 

He's early.

 

When I open the door to the inn I see a large man, about 7 foot in a trench coat with thick black hair that ended at his crown pulled back into a top knot, standing at the front desk checking in. His tail swung gently back and forth as I approached him. He seemed to be having a disagreement with the keeper. I look around for other agents but it looks like he's on his own. 

 

I have to stand on my toes to tap on his shoulder, he's a good 2 feet taller than me. He turns around brows furrowed with annoyance before his expression melts into a smile.

 

 “Heya Wings.” He says it as we pull each other into a hug, his stone hand scraping the leather of my jacket and ruffling my feathers. I step back and smile at him his left hand still in mine without either of us really noticing.

 

 “How ya been Red?” I smile up at him.

 

 “Well you know, the usual, just got done dealing with a nightmare over in Germany. I woulda liked to have you there, you coulda helped me take that thing down easy.” He grins at me before we're interrupted by the innkeeper. 

 

 “Ye reunion is lovely an all but if ye ain't gotta reservation ye’ll have ta leave.” She's an older woman and I can tell Hellboy makes her uneasy.

 

 “Look lady, I already do, it's under Trevor Bruttenholm.” This must have been going on a while before I got here, Hellboy is trying not to shout but his patients for this woman is wearing thin.

 

 “An I told you, no one by the name a Broom has anything reserved.” she crosses her arms and glares at the two of us. Hellboy rubs his temples as he tries to keep himself composed.

 

 “Are you looking for the right spelling?” I ask and the woman's face turns red. 

 

 “Aye, I think I know how to spell “Broom”.” 

 

 “He doesn't spell it normally, it's B-R-U-T-T-E-N-H-O-L-M.” 

 

 She glances down at her book of reservations before turning grabbing a key from the wall and tossing it on the counter before storming into a back room.

 

 “Well, that was fun.” Hellboy picks up the key and looks at me with a smirk. “Thanks Lorna, I don't know what I'd do without you.” 

 

 “Probably sleep outside if I had to guess.” I chuckle at him as we both turn to the stairs to find our rooms. 

 

“So you got any info on what's going on here?” He raises an eyebrow at me as we stop in front of my door and I open it for him.

 

“Not completely sure red, Father Sean took me to the Moors and something's definitely not right, it feels… dirty.” I follow him into the room. He finds a chair and I sit on the bed. “He told me about some of the missing people at dinner, they would see shapes on the moors before they’d disappear.”

 

 He sits thoughtfully for a moment before looking to me.

 

 “It's not much but it's more than we usually start with, when the other agents get here in the mornin’ they can interview the locals while we take a look at the moors.” He smiles at me hesitantly. “Ya know, all of this would be easier if you joined me at the bureau.”

 

 “Hellboy I-” I try to cut him off but he continues.

 

 “I know you don't like being told what to do and where to go but at least you aren't solo. I don't like that you can't call for backup when you're alone out there.” he can't hide his concern for me. Hellboy truly is my guardian. 

 

When I first got my wings it was… a mess. My mother wanted my wings cut off, so I ran to my father who brought me to the BPRD. Hellboy talked to me like a friend, not an 18 year old girl, not an angel, just a friend. I stayed there for weeks while my wings grew in and then another year, just learning about the world that I was apart of now,  Hellboy's world. He visited me a lot when he wasn't away on missions. We always had stories, or jokes or some food to share. 

 

We got close. We both get it, not being human, at least not completely. Though Hellboy has more humanity than most. We tend to get lost in conversation with each other. He likes to make me laugh, I think. He's intelligent, interesting, thoughtful, wonderful. I think I might have fallen for him. I think he cares about me too, but not like how I feel. He's too busy being a hero, that's perfectly fine with me. It's his job and he does it well. Who would I be to distract him from the people who need him.

 

I was never officially a part of the burrue, too many politics. I go where I'm asked by the people who need me. Hellboy wants me to do that from the BPRD, but it feels too much like being put in a cage. Birds gotta fly and all that, haha. I understand why he want me there though, safety in numbers and all that. I think he misses the way it was when I first started doing the paranormal investigator thing.

 

“Besides Lorna, it be nice to be able to call you when I need you.” He gives me an almost shy smile.

 

“Oh come on Red you can't miss me that bad, besides I like my little gig I got going on.” I smile at him. “I make my own rules and I don't have anyone treating me like I'm only government property… I hate the way the higher-ups talk to you.”

 

“I know it's not perfect Lorna but I… I miss you and I, jeez I don't know, it's nice to have you at my back. I don't feel like I have to babysit you and I know you got me if I need you.” he furrows his brows and I stand up and walk over to him taking his left hand in mine.

 

“I'll give it another shot Red, but the first issue the give me, I'm out alright?” I smile at him and he stands pulling me into a hug.

 

He opened his mouth to say something else when a ghastly screeching came from outside. I throw the window behind Hellboy open and stick my upper body outside. Red is looking out over me both of us desperately searching for the source of the noise. 

 

Then I see it, a shadowy figure gently gliding down the road in the direction of the Moors. The sinister feeling returns and before I can think about it I'm jumping from the window and gliding after the creature. Hellboy follows after me, hitting the ground with a thud and sprinting below me. The creature seems to be a mass of shadows as I get closer. 

 

Right before I land behind it it turns and lunges at me. It's eyes are red and it's formed with black musty smoke that makes me feel sick. I try to blow it back with a flap of my wings but it passes right through and grabs my arms.

 

“LORNA!!” Hellboy yells after me gun drawn, fist raised, fear and anger in his yellow eyes.

 

The creature forces it's way down my throat and nose, foul smelling smoke fills my lungs. It feels like my body is on fire, burning from the inside out. Red grabs me by the waist and aims his gun at the writhing mass of shadows and pulls the trigger. I feel myself fade from consciousness as the thing escapes. The last thing I see is Hellboy desperately trying to get me to respond to him as my vision fades. What would I do without him?


End file.
